By Carrie Battan on March 27, 2012 at 10:05 a.m. EDT

Rapper/producer Aesop Rock's first solo album in five years, Skelethon, is scheduled for release on July 10 through Rhymesayers. It features guest spots from Kimya Dawson (he's working on a collaborative project with her called Uncluded, too), Rob Sonic, DJ Big Wiz, Allyson Baker of Dirty Ghosts, Hanni El Khatib, and more.

By Tom Breihan on March 28, 2011 at 3:10 p.m. EDT

For the fourth year in a row, the powerhouse Midwestern indie-rap label Rhymesayers will put on its Soundset Festival, which this year comes to Canterbury Park in Shakopee, Minnesota on May 29. Rhymesayers figureheads Atmosphere will once again headline the festival, and the bill includes an interesting mix of big-name veterans and smaller, scrappier indie types.

By Tom Breihan on June 8, 2009 at 2:40 p.m. EDT

-- On June 9, Kill Rock Stars will release The Thao and Justin Power Sessions, the new album from experimental classical crew the Portland Cello Project. Thao Nguyen of Thao With the Get Down Stay Down contributes four songs, as does Portland musician Justin Power.

-- The Minnesota indie rap label Rhymesayers Entertainment is launching a new series called RSE Spotlight Series, designed to give some shine to rising artists by distributing their records and selling them for cheap. A press release about the series said: "Developed to be a launch pad, the RSE Spotlight Series will provide select services and distribution to emerging artists ready to go to the next level, by expanding their fanbase and sales history." The first beneficiary is Twin Cities rapper Toki Wright, whose solo debut album A Different Mirror is due June 9.

-- Because amazing weather and great food and one great music festival apparently aren't enough for the people of Barcelona, the S贸nar Festival will go down in the Spanish city June 18-20. Animal Collective, Crystal Castles, Fever Ray, Grace Jones, Special Disco Version, Orbital, Luomo, Mulatu Astake, Public Enemy production team the Bomb Squad, and Micachu are among the artists participating in this year's throwdown.